Emergency services at Grimsby's hospital will be 'stretched' this weekend

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust is urging people to 'choose wisely' before visiting accident and emergency as huge pressure is expected to be put on health services in the coming days

by Mark Page

10:23, 4 Aug 2017

Grimsby's Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital

People in Grimsby and Cleethorpes are being urged to avoid going to accident and emergency unless absolutely necessary this weekend with urgent care services likely to be stretched.

Health chiefs at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust are expecting staff at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital to be particularly busy over the coming days due to more people visiting nearby East Coast resorts.

They also say pressure on the wider NHS system will impact on local services.

Associate chief nurse – medicine, Paul Kirton-Watson, said staff have been redeployed across the Trust to maintain safe and effective care but he is still expecting resources to be stretched unless people heed the NHS’s Choose Well messages.

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He said: “As far as minor cases are concerned, please dial 01472 256256 if you are in North East Lincolnshire or NHS 111 if you are in North Lincolnshire for advice about minor injuries and minor accidents before attending A&E and then only come to us if it is an emergency.

NHS emergency services are expected to be under huge pressure over the coming days

“We would urge people to choose wisely, either with self-care or by speaking to their pharmacist about minor illnesses and injuries, rather than attending one of our hospitals.

“The emergency departments at both Scunthorpe and Grimsby are expecting higher than usual demand, with peaks this weekend due to pressure from surrounding areas and an expected influx of people as holidaymakers visit resorts, particularly those along the Lincolnshire coast.”

Which NHS service should you use?

There is more than one option depending on the severity of the situation. Choosing which service is the right one at a given time is not always easy, so the NHS has created a checklist if you’re not sure where to start.